Glossary

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A

Active

Active has a number of meanings throughout our documentation. In general, active signifies that a course component or user has current functionality within onQ. For example, active is a course offering property which controls whether a course is currently available to users without editing permissions.

Activities

Activities are assessments used to evaluate a user's skills or knowledge. They also can be used to measure the completion of a learning objective. More than one activity can be administered for the completion of a learning objective; this means that all activities associated with a learning objective must be passed in order to complete it. Activities can be associated with quizzes, surveys, Assignment folders, discussion topics and grade items, or they can exist independently of other tools in onQ.

Adjusted Final Grade

The adjusted final grade is a manually entered grade which emends the automatic grade generated by onQ.

All or Nothing

All or nothing is a marking format for multi-select questions where quiz takers receive full points for a question only if they select all of the correct answers and none of the incorrect answers. Zero points are awarded if quiz takers miss any correct answers or select any incorrect answers.

Announcements

Announcements is a widget that keeps users up-to-date with current information. Here you are able to post important events that you would like your users to see. You will want to post any announcements or important notices in this section.

Approve Enrolments Option

Approve enrolments option is a registration control feature which requires that registrations must be approved before registrants are enrolled in and granted access to the course.

Arithmetic Question

Arithmetic question is a question type in which numbers can be randomly chosen for each variable in the question based on specified number ranges.

Assignment Activities

Assignment activities are assessments associated with an Assignment submission folder created in the Assignment tool. 

Assignments

Assignments is a tool within the onQ that allows users to electronically submit assignment files. These files can be accessed at any time and location by the course leader.

Note: Assignments was previously named Dropbox.

Attach Existing (Button)

Attach existing (button) is a system option which attaches an existing condition to another condition in a course without having to create the condition again.

Attempt Details

Attempt details are reports which reveal statistics about each question in a quiz including how long each attempt took.

Auto Enrolments

Number of groups - no auto enrollments is an enrolment type where a specified number of groups are created, which you can add any number of user to through the Enroll Users page.

Auto-Enrol New Users

Auto-enrol new users is a system feature where new users are automatically added to the section with the least users or to a new section if the maximum size of all existing sections has been met.

Automatically Keep Final Up-To-Date

Automatically keep final up to date is an option where final grades are adjusted automatically after changing a grade item.

B

Blog

A blog is an online journal with an integrated discussion area that acts as a useful communication tool; peers can comment and engage in related discussions about the blog topic or in reaction to the blog itself.

C

Calculated (Grade Item)

Calculated (grade item) is the presentation of the sum of a user's cumulative achievement across multiple grade items.

Calendar

The calendar is an important tool for displaying upcoming events in the course. Users can post events such as project due dates, office hours, in-class events, etc to the calendar.

Can Exceed Option

Can exceed option is a setting which allows course leaders to specify whether a user's cumulative grades for a category can exceed the maximum points specified for that category.

Checklist

A checklist is a list of actions that require completion. Creating a checklist is a great way to highlight important aspects of the course. Users can use this as a visual guideline to determine their needs to complete the course.

Classlist

Classlist is a directory of names, emails, and group settings which provides you with quick access to a full list of the participants in your course.

D

Department

A department is an org unit within the structure of an academic organization. It is also a course offering property that refers to the org unit the course offering's parent template is associated with. Changing the department affects all other course offerings associated with the same template.

Design View

The design view of the HTML editor is a user friendly interface which allows users to quickly and easily create and format content, even without prior knowledge of HTML.

Discussion Activities

Discussion activities are assessments associated with a discussion topic created in the discussion tool. 

Discussions

See Threaded Discussions.

Drop Ungraded Items

The drop ungraded items is an option that allows grade items that have not been graded to be dropped from the grade book, and therefore not counted towards a user's final grades.

E

Email

Email is a communication tool available for all users inside onQ. Unique email addresses are set up for all users which can be used to send notices and messages to others. 

End Date

End date is the date that a course or functionality terminates and is no longer available to users.

Equation Editor

The equation editor is a java based application which allows users of onQ to insert mathematical and statistical equations into a content page. The equation editor features a toolbar equipped with a selection of buttons that provide the necessary elements to construct equations quickly and easily.

Event Logs

Event logs are records of all activity associated with a specific learning object or asset.

Excluded Enrolments

Excluded enrolments (aka anti-requisites) are org units to which a user must not already belong in order to see the current course on the self-registration page.

Exporting Courses

Exporting courses is a feature within onQ that allows users to import and export course files to and from a file.

F

Feedback

Feedback is an avenue for users to leave comments that are visible to those leading courses. They can then use these comments as a basis for possible improvements or changes to course content.

File Properties

File properties are attributes of files such as size, type and date last modified.

Fill in the Blanks Question

Fill in the blanks question is a question type where the user has to insert the correct response into a blank space in order to complete a sentence.

Final Grade Statistics

This option allows one to view details about a class, group or section's overall grades for a course.

Folders

Folders are electronic containers for files. For example, in the email tool there are folders where users can store and sort emails according to preference. Users can either use system-created folders like the inbox, drafts, sent mail and trash folders, or create their own personalized folders.

Formula

A formula option in the grade item form allows assessments to be graded by using a custom formula based on achievement on other grade items.

Formula Editor

The formula editor is the application that can create a formula. It can be used to define a formula that calculates a grade item's value based on other grade items.

Formula System

A Formula system is a type of grading procedure in which grade items are calculated using the points system, but a formula is used to set conditions around how grade items contribute to the final grade.

Forums

A forum is an online discussion group. In onQ forums are used within the discussion tool to categorize discussion topics.

G

Grade Book

The grade book is an online interface and storage system for recording course participant grades. Grade books contain a list of items that you want to evaluate. Grade items can include assignments, tests, discussion postings, participation, etc. All of these items combine to represent the work that users are evaluated on in a course.

Grade Book Categories

Grade book categories are ways of organizing and grouping related grade items into sections.

Grade Items

Grade items are activities associated with grade items in the Grades tool. They can be evaluated automatically based on a user's grade or by linking the grade to a numeric rubric, or they can be evaluated manually using a rubric.

Grade Range

The grade range is the lowest to the highest possible grade that can be achieved in a range. For example, the term "good" might encompass the numeric grades 70% to 79%.

Grade Scheme Color

Grade scheme color is the color associated with the grade scheme level .

Grade Scheme Symbol

Grade scheme symbol is the symbol for the grade scheme level achieved. For example, "A" or "Very Good."

Grade Schemes

Grade schemes are the ways grades are organized or labeled within a course or for a particular grade item.

Grades Setup Wizard

The grades setup wizard is a step-by-step process that takes you through a list of options that should set before grade items and categories are created.

Grades Tool

The grades tool within onQ is used to track grades, and includes detailed class statistics. You can import, export, or edit single or multiple grades, etc. Users can also view their personal grades.

Group and Section Restrictions

Group and section restrictions are settings which allow you to restrict a forum or topic so that it is only accessible to members of a specific group or section.

Group Lockers

Group lockers are restricted, online storage spaces where members of a group can share files. These files can be modified by any member of the group.

Group Submission Folders

Group submission folders are where groups can collectively submit their assignments. Any group member can submit and view files for a group submission.

Groups of #

Groups of # is the minimum number of groups needed to place users in groups of a specified maximum size. More groups are created when they are needed to accommodate additional users.

Groups of # - Self Enrollment

Groups of # - self enrollment refers to the minimum number of groups needed to accommodate users in groups of a specified maximum size. Users chose the group they wish to enroll in from their My Groups page.

Guest/Visitor

A guest is a passive observer of the course.

H

Help

Help is a system-wide feature that provides information and instruction on using the system functionality. The help feature is available throughout onQ in the form of help icons and on-screen instructions which will provide users with information about the specific page and tool they have accessed.

Help Icon

The help icon is a little graphic question mark beside many system tools which provides users with ready information about the specific page and tool being used

Hidden Topics

Hidden topics are discussion topics occluded from users without the correct permissions to see hidden forums and topics or to manage discussions.

Hide Options Link

Hide options link is a feature that allows users to hide additional options that users do not want to be displayed.

Homepage

The homepage is the page that the user sees first when they enter a course..

I

Icons

Icons are small symbols that users can select to initiate a possible task or action. When a user hovers their mouse over an icon, an explanation appears above it explaining its uses.

Impersonate Option

Impersonate option is a feature that allows one user to impersonate another user in order to submit incomplete quizzes or view journal entries written by the user.

Importing

Importing is the action of copying external course components (including those created in other learning management systems) into onQ. You can import course components created in other learning management systems, provided by content vendors, or created in a content creation program. To import components, all that is needed is a file containing the components in a format supported by the import tool.

Individual Submission Folders

Individual submission folder allow the user to submit assignments on an individual basis.

Insert Icon

The insert icon button in the Formula Editor validates the formula being built and applies it to the grade book

L

Language

Language refers to the language that a course uses. All text in the interface is displaced in this language.

Learner Progress

Learner progress is tracked through learning objective and competency completion. Learner progress can be viewed on the View Competency Results page by user or from the User Progress tool.

Likert

Likert is a type of question where statements are rated on a predetermined scale, such as "1 to 5".

Likert Question

The likert question is unique to the Survey tool. Likert questions are a way to gather feedback by creating questions with answers based on one of the six scales available.

Locked Topics

Locked topics are forum topics that users are unable to post new messages or modify existing messages when a topic is locked, but are able to view existing messages in "read only" format.

Locker

Locker is a tool within the Brightspace learning platform that is used to store files remotely. Files can be accessed from anywhere via an internet/intranet connection. Each user's locker is distinct, and only accessible by that user.

Long Answer

Long answer is a type of question where the answer involves a relatively long, free-ended text response, usually at least a paragraph or two.

Long Answer Question

Long answer question is a question format that requires users to write a long answer, often in essay form, to a question.

M

Manage Files Tool

The Manage Files tool is the file management system for a course. From this area, files associated with a course offering can be organized and uploaded.

Manage Groups Tool

The Manage Groups tool is used to create group work areas for users. Groups can be used to organize user work on projects or assignments, or to create special work areas for users with different learning needs.

Manage Sections Tool

The Manage Sections tool lets you divide your classes into sections to help manage large enrollments.

Mandatory Question

A mandatory question is a question within a quiz that must be answered before the quiz can be submitted.

Mark as Read

Mark as read is a button which when selected will indicated to the email user that the selected message has already been read.

Matching

Matching is a type of question in which answers should be paired together.

Matching Question

Matching question is a question format that asks users to match correct items together for points. For example, users may be asked to match a term to its proper definition or a date to its event.

Media

Media is text, graphics, audio, video, or human element used to teach.

Message List

The Message List page is the first page you see after clicking on either the email links or the Email Notifier icon. The Message List page allows a user to view all messages received to their account, as well as their read status and other important information such as if the messages have been read or not and the date and time that a message was sent.

Module

A module is a stand-alone instructional unit that is designed to satisfy one or more learning objectives. A separate component complete within itself that can be taught, measured, and evaluated for a change or bypassed as a whole; one that is interchangeable with others, used for assembly into units of differing size, complexity, or function. A module consists of one or more lessons.

Multiple Choice

Multiple-choice is a type of question in which the user selects one correct answer from a group of possible answers.

Multi-Select

Multi-select is a type of question where the user selects one or more correct answers from a group of possible answers.

My Courses

My Courses is a widget on the personal homepage of each user that lists all courses that the user is enrolled in or instructing. Users enter into the course by clicking on the course's name.

My Home

My Home is the first landing page after login. This page may differ from a colleague's page because the entire site is customizable. Your faculty or department may add/remove tools, rearrange the visual layout, change colours, or create custom tools.

My Settings/Preferences

My settings/preference is an online control panel in onQ. Located in the My Home page the My Settings widget allows you to adjust system settings such as personal homepages, email addresses and passwords. The settings that are available to you are determined by your role in onQ.

My Updates

My Updates is a widget, usually located in My Home, which informs users of any new assignment submissions, unread discussion messages, ungraded quiz attempts or broken links since the last time the user has logged in.

N

Navigation Bar (NavBar)

The navigation bar is the menu across the top of onQ. The navigation bar contains links to all areas of the site. 

Number of Groups

Number of groups is an enrollment type where a specified number of groups are created.

Number of Sections

Number of sections is an enrollment type where a specified number of sections are created with an unlimited number of users in each section.

Numeric Grade Item

Numeric is a way of grading where assessments are graded by being assigned a value out of a specified total number of points.

Numeric Rubrics

Numeric rubrics are those which have a percentage range associated with each rubric level.

O

Ordering Question

Ordering question is a type of question where the user places the answers in the correct order.

Overriding Results

Overriding results is a setting which overrides a user's result for any competency, learning objective or activity and manually set it to complete or incomplete. The override will always take precedence.

P

Pass/Fail

Pass/Fail is a type of grading scheme where users are graded with either a pass or fail.

Permissions

Permissions are what restrict or allow access to specific areas, functions and views throughout onQ. Permissions are assigned to roles. Permissions also promote good interface design whereby only the relevant functions and views for the users' particular role are made available.

Points Grade

Points grade displays the users' grade in points next to the total points available. For example, 6/10.

Points System

Points system is a type of grading where graded items are calculated using a points system in which the points assigned to each grade item are totaled for the final grade.

Prevent Moving Backwards Through Pages

Prevent moving backwards through pages is an option which prevents users from returning to previous pages as they complete a quiz, so that they can only move forward until they reach the end of the quiz. This option cannot be used in conjunction with the mandatory questions option.

Profile

My profile allows users to build a personal profile and add information, including pictures, into the textboxes. This information is viewable from the Classlist link from the course page.

Q

Question Details

Question details is a list that displays all of the answers provided for each quiz attempt, how many users chose each possible answer, the total number of responses and the average score on each question.

Question Library

The question library is a central, shared repository for the questions users create, copy and import. These questions can be organized into sections by subject or by question type.

Question Statistics

Question statistics is a tool that allows users to generate statistics for their courses including class averages, score distributions, etc.

Quick Edit

Quick edit is an interface and tool that allows users to change quiz names, categories, active statuses and number of quiz attempts allowed.

QuickLink

A QuickLink is a direct link to a file, tool, or URL that can be added to any content area within onQ

Quiz

The Quiz is a tool used to evaluate the progress and/or knowledge retention of users. Any type of multimedia can be integrated directly into a quiz. The questions may or may not be selected randomly, and may or may not be the same for each user. The questions are then graded, either manually or automatically.

Quiz Activities

Quiz activities are associated with a quiz created in the Quiz tool. Quiz activities test users using different types of questions like true/false and short answer, etc.

R

Random Question Sets

Random question sets are section of a quiz which randomly pulls questions from designated pools of questions stored in the Question Library. This ensures that each user receives a unique set of questions.

Randomize Students in Sections

Randomize students in sections is an advanced property where users are added to sections based on a random order.

Ready for Evaluation

When set to "No", the Ready for Evaluation setting prevents a learning objective from being re-evaluated automatically. This is used when you are adding new activities to the learning objective and editing or removing existing activities but do not want to trigger a re-evaluation.

Registration Form

The registration form contains fields that users must fill in when registering for a course.

Registration Restrictions

Registration restrictions are controls that can include dates for enrollment, maximum number of registrations being accepted and pre- or anti- requisites, etc.

Registration Tool

The registration tool allows you to manage the users enrolled in their courses.

Release Conditions

Release conditions are conditional requirements that restrict access or visibility to specific content, resources or areas within onQ. Users must satisfy the conditions before the restrictions are removed.

Re-Ordering Rubrics

Re-ordering rubrics is an option which controls the order in which rubrics are listed.

Resource Viewer

Resource viewer is an interface where resources are displayed and controlled. Different types of resources have different controls which are accessible through the Resource Viewer's toolbar. This toolbar also contains controls that allow you to switch between resources, activate a resource (in Preview mode), annotate a resource and download an image of the currently displayed resource.

Results Page

From the Results page, you can see which who has completed an activity. This page lists all users enrolled in the current course with the "Can be evaluated" permission.

Right Answers

Right answers is a marking format for multi-select questions where users receive points for each correct answer they select and for incorrect answers they leave blank. Incorrect answers selected and correct answers left blank are ignored.

Right Minus Wrong

Right minus wrong is a marking format for multi-select questions where users receive points equal to the number of right answers they choose minus the number of incorrect answers they choose.

Role

Roles define the access privileges that users have for all tools and components within a particular organizational unit type. For example, a Teaching Assistant Role could be defined so it allows a user to add, but not change, assignment marks in a Course Offering.

Rubric Levels

A rubric level is one of a number of possible results that can be assigned to a user to evaluate their performance on an activity. A collection of rubric levels makes up a rubric.

Rubric List Page

A rubric list page is the first page you will see when you access the Rubrics tool within a course. It is used to create and manage rubrics and shows all rubrics created within the current course. 

Rubric Stats Page

The rubric stats page lists all statistics applicable to the rubrics.

S

Schedule

The schedule displays course-related events to the course participants. The schedule can be used to post important course-related events such as project due dates, virtual office hours, exam and test information, etc.

Search

The search option allows users to search throughout a program by typing key words into the Search For field, or by narrowing their search with the Search Options link.

Sections of #

Sections of # is an enrollment type whereby an unlimited number of sections are created and each section has a specified maximum number of users.

Selectbox (Grade Item)

Selectbox is where users are graded by being assigned a grade scheme level that is equivalent to a percentage grade.

Self Enrollment

Number of groups - self enrollment is an enrollment type where the minimum number of groups needed to accommodate users in groups of a specified maximum size are created automatically. Users choose the group they wish to enroll in from their My Groups page, accessible from the classlist.

Self-Assessment

Self-assessment is a tool used by users to determine whether or not they have mastered a given section of content. onQ allows for self-assessments to be integrated directly into course content pages. onQ self-assessments also incorporate instant feedback, so that users immediately know whether or not they answered the question correctly.

Semester

Semester refers to the semester in which the course is offered. Can also be known as term, session, etc.

Send-Only Email

Send-only email is an email configuration that permits sending emails from onQ, but prevents receiving emails. Users with send-only email accounts can set their email address to an external account to receive messages.

Settings Page

The settings page is where all of the settings for a course can be adjusted.

Setup Assignments

Setup Assignments allows you to create assignment submission folders for each of the groups. A group can then have multiple folders belonging to different categories.

Setup Forums

Allows you to select or create group specific discussion forums and topics.

Setup Locker

Setup locker is an option which allows you to create a locker area for each group.

Shared Display Settings

Shared display settings control whether shared forums and topics are displayed in the discussions list in a course offering.

Short Answer

A short answer is a type of question where the user responds to a prompt with a relatively short, free-ended text response, usually a sentence or two.

Show Options Link

Clicking the Show Options link will display the advanced options on a page.

Significant Figures Question

The Significant Figures question type is most applicable to science and math related courses. Users are able to enter their answers in scientific notation format.

Special Access

Special access allows you to override the availability and timing settings of a quiz for specific individuals. Special access is setup in Restrictions area of a classlist, assignment, or quiz.

Start Date

The start date is the date that the course offering opens. Users cannot access the course before this date.

Survey

Nearly identical in form to a "Quiz", a survey is a grouping of questions for the user to answer. The difference is that a survey is not conducted to evaluate the user, but rather to garner feedback from the user. Any type of multimedia can be integrated directly into a survey.

Survey Activities

Survey activities are associated with a survey created in the Survey tool. Surveys can be used in place of quizzes to test users. Surveys do not have a scoring mechanism built in.

T

Tabs

Tabs are keystrokes which switch between options within a single page.

Text

Text is the feature that allows you to provide comments that are not counted towards users' final grades.

Text Information Item

Text information item is a feature that allows you to create questions consisting of text only.

Text Only Rubrics

Text only rubrics are rubrics without a percentage range associated with each rubric level. Text only rubrics require results to be entered manually.

Threaded Discussions

Threaded discussions are a series of messages that have been posted as replies to each other. This is an asynchronous communication tool, meaning that users can read the postings at any time.

Top Navigation Bar

The top navigation bar usually contains a logo and links to tools such as setup, logout, help, etc.

Top Tool Menu

The top tool menu is a navigation bar which switches between pages within a tool area.

Topics

Topics can mean multiple things, depending on the context within what they are being referred to. For example:

  1. In Content, topics are the basic organizational unit of instruction covering one or more closely-related learning objectives. For example, course content is grouped into topics, which are then grouped into modules.

  2. In Discussions, topics are where discussions take place, in the hierarchy of forum, topic, thread, and comment. Instructors create topics inside forums to organize discussions, and participants can post and read threads and comments.

Transcript

A transcript is a copy of all messages posted to a chat window, along with system messages indicating when individual users enter or leave the room. It will not contain questions or answers, whispered comments or other system messages.

Treat Ungraded Items As 0

By selecting treat ungraded items as 0, grade items that have not yet been entered into the grade book count as 0 towards users' final grades.

True or False

True or false is a type of question where the user indicates whether a statement is truthful or not.

Types of Activities

Types of activities include quizzes, surveys, assignments, discussions, grade items and manual assessment activities.

Types of Rubrics

There are two types of rubrics available for creation: numeric and text only.

U

Unflagged Icon

Once a flagged submission has been reviewed, the unflag icon beside it removes the flag.

User Attempts

User attempts are the number of tries a course participant has made to answer a question. It also includes the score for each question in points and percentage organized by attempt.

User Progress

User progress is a tool that allows you to view a summary of the competencies a user has completed within the current course.

User Progress Tool

The user progress tool provides statistics on a specific user's use of th onQ.

User Statistics

User statistics is information about performance of the class which includes the class average, score distribution and the grade of each user.

W

Weighted Grade

A weighted grade displays how much a user's grade is worth towards the final grade. For example, if a user scores 60% on a grade item worth 50% of a category worth 10% of the final grade, they would receive a weighted grade of 3/5.

Weighted System

A weighted system is a type of grading where grade items and categories are calculated as a percentage of a final grade worth 100%.

Widget

A widget allows users to easily create and modify any piece of information they want visible on the course homepage. Widgets can include plain text, links, or any multimedia type, including interactive applications.

Wizard

A wizard is an interface element that guides a user through a sequence of forms that structure user input in an effort to make it easier for them to accomplish an otherwise complex task.